neepheid

Although most of my basses are Gibsons and therefore by definition made in the USA and not "cheap" (some recent examples are firmly approaching mid priced it has to be said), I currently have a Yamaha BB450 which I restored from parts and cost me less than £100. Great bass, happy to gig it any time and have played it at several gigs. "Cheap" basses I have gigged include: Yamaha BB450 Yamaha BB300 Yamaha BB614 Squier Bronco Epiphone Les Paul Standard Mid priced stuff: G&L Tribute L-2000 G&L Tribute M-2000 Epiphone Jack Casady Don't even start me on some of the snobbery that gets thrown around, I find it pretty disgusting to be honest. An instrument is either good or it isn't, according to the person playing it and no-one else and it doesn't matter a jot where it was made or who made it.

Been on a selling spree at the moment, am now G&L-less, which bothers me a bit. Have trimmed it down to just Gibson/Epiphone and my Yamaha BBs (which are worth bog all, because lovely as they are to play they're ratty looking and not amongst the posher ones). No doubt I'll be back, but it's nice to have the space in the bass cupboard and very slowly plan how to fill it back up again

[quote name='TheSiberian' timestamp='1410987573' post='2555438'] If I can see an update from the Precision to Stingray, I can't say the same for the G&L who is a rather modern standard Fender [b]without any signifiant inovation.[/b] I see hardly the G&L being a colectible in the next years...but who knows? Best [/quote] I think that's a harsh assessment.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1410938661' post='2554753'] It's a state of mind coupled with a point blank refusal to accept the reality of the situation in these chasened times. [/quote] Or, if you want to deal in absolutes which are bound to piss someone off, BC is full of lowballing chancers?

I can't speak for other sellers. If I write that, I mean it, because below that price, I believe I'd be having the piss taken out of me. It'll then wait until the market is in a suitable state to accept that price, or I might withdraw it. To be honest, I've had most of the things I sell here up on other forums and Gumtree and to be even more honest had more success (if you'll pardon quoting their ad) not only in securing sales but also getting the price I want there than here.

Although it'll be illogically laid out (because it's a Gibson and as such will always have illogical nuances), I will be doing this very thing with my Gibson Ripper: Ignore the orange/brown earth wires, that's a secondary earth. Red is hot, black is earth. This gives the following for this type of switch: [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 1: A -> 1, B -> 5, C -> 9[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 2: A -> 2, B -> 6, C -> 10[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 3: A -> 3, B -> 7, C -> 11[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 4: A -> 4, B -> 8, C -> 12[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]A is wired to ground, B takes the (reversed) hot of the bridge pickup, C is final output to the volume pot. X means no connection.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 1 should give both in series[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 2 should be bridge pickup only[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 3 should be both in parallel[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 4 should be neck only[/font][/color] However, this then feeds to a single volume control (the blue wire coming out of connection C). How you'd go about doing this and retaining the individual volume controls I don't know for sure. Feed the pickups to the volume controls first and then feed the outputs of those pots to the switch then the output from the switch to the tone pot? Maybe that's daft. Hopefully this will give you the beginnings of an idea, and someone with far greater knowledge than me will come along and tidy it all up

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1410812099' post='2553539'] Do you mean this? [url="http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Ripper_Bass"]http://epiphonewiki....php/Ripper_Bass[/url] [/quote] Exactly. Interesting to read about the B-450 prototype, almost proved me wrong

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1410734714' post='2552649'] Are you gigging? It's always worth having a backup bass, but if the Fender has lost its magic sell it and get the Epiphone equivalent of your Gibson? [/quote] If only that were possible - there is no Epiphone equivalent and never has been. They did a PJ wearing bolt on necked "Ripper" a few years back which is as close as it came. Same body shape and construction being the only similarities with a G-3.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/help_center/example-calculation-import-duty-and-taxes-for-a-guitar-and-amp/ Bit of a complicated example, but it does highlight the possibilities. Paying for the duty/tax depends upon the courier. If it's USPS, they hand over to ParcelForce who pay the duty/tax on your behalf then send you an invoice through your door (with an admin fee of course) which you have to settle before you get the parcel - you can pay online or down at the depot. Pretty sure I remember FedEx deliver first then issue an invoice. Can't comment on others.

In two, currently wondering if it's a bit too much.

[quote name='wenbainhouse' timestamp='1410351659' post='2548404'] Hey hey. Thanks for the reply. I assume you carry your grabber in this then? Is it a good gig bag? [/quote] Yup. I don't have my G-3 any more. The last time I used the Body Glove one was to transport my Ripper (same body shape as a Grabber) to be refinished, and once that is done then this gig bag will be its primary means of conveyance. Seems like a pretty decent bag to me in terms of padding and comfort.

[quote name='wenbainhouse' timestamp='1410346773' post='2548341'] Hello everyone. First post here. Just wondering if anyone could recommend a gig bag that would fit a Gibson grabber? Would it be easier to try an acoustic bag? Cheers Ben. [/quote] No, you'll have so much left over bag. I have one of these Body Glove Series One gigbags which seem to be a tad wider than some: But I'm sure I used to fit my G-3 (Grabber with 3 pickups) into a mid-range Warwick Rockbag in terms of padding etc.

Universal opportunity is fine and I welcome it but I would hate to see it wasted by forcing kids who don't give a toss either way into learning an instrument. Apart from playing recorder at primary school, I had opportunities and didn't take them. I'm sure I had the chance to play cello but humphing it around seemed like too much hard work. Then I retreated into my shell almost completely at secondary school for a variety of reasons and saw music classes in 1st and 2nd year as a chore and paid little or no attention whatsoever. Apart from a half-assed, ultimately abortive attempt to learn guitar in early adulthood, I didn't do anything until I seriously started playing bass (practising, being in bands) at the grand old age of 33. I do regret not getting going sooner (bloody young whiz-kids running rings around me, grr), but such is life. Make the most of now and all that.

[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1410339084' post='2548209'] 3-band all the way for me. Want a scooped sound? Just cut the mids right back. Getting lost in the mix, or need a really fat bridge pup fingerstyle sound? Boost the mids, roll off the treble, and boom. I use the mid knob so much that I cannot imagine playing my Ray without it. And having a side-mounted jack is also a major plus IMO - I hate front mounted jacks, and can't imagine why anyone would want to have a big fat ugly jack plug sticking out the front of their bass when they can have it neatly tucked away at the side. [/quote] It's not so bad with a right angle jack plug is it? Straight jacks do look a bit daft protruding from the front of the bass, I'll give you that

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1410268221' post='2547653'] Ha ha, fair enough mate Any suggestions on how to fix it bar rewiring the whole house? You're quite good with electronics right? I've tried a Monster Power thing ( [url="http://www.monsterproducts.com/power/monster_power.asp"]http://www.monsterpr...nster_power.asp[/url] ) which is meant to help, but it does nothing at all, and it's also the most hideous 8 way adapter I ever did see... Eude [/quote] Ach, I can wire sockets and switches but not much else. I did a quick google and found this, chock full of technical sounding stuff - http://www.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=42230

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1410179908' post='2546815'] I don't notice any fans noise on mine either, I have quite a bit of 60 cycle hum, but the electrics in my house were literally done by a chimp. [/quote] It's fifty 'ere. Our hum is a bit bassier than our cousins across the pond

I find it hard to muster up these prodigious levels of care regarding the subject. It's a bass. As long as I like the look and feel of it and it sounds like a bass and not a bag of spanners falling down a stairwell or an angry wasp in a tin can, I pick it up, I play it, I put it down again. It matters not to me if it's passive or active. I have great sounding passive basses (mmm, TB+ pickups) and great sounding active basses (hello RD/Victory Artist). And there are great sounding "active" basses with passive EQ controls (G&L). What I will say about active/passive preferences is that it makes sense to me that active basses should have a passive mode, even if it has no EQ as some sort of get out of jail card should the batteries decide that enough is enough. And quick release battery compartments. And low battery indicators. Basically anything to minimise people having the heebie-jeebies about active basses because the battery might run out on them mid gig. And I also understand that some people frown upon all the control available and prefer simplicity. While I do not understand that, I respect that. Some people just want a spanner to be able to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts. I think that a spanner which also makes the tea, feeds the cat and periodically spits out pound coins would be awesome

[quote name='SmallDawg' timestamp='1410216348' post='2547321'] Hello I was wondering if it's possible to wire in a single 250k push pull volume pot to a bass but have it so that when you pull it up, it still acts as a volume pot when you turn it but so that it's cut the tone? I'm tired so please forgive my poor wording haha. I basically want it so that when you pull it up, it would have the same effect as if you were to roll the tone pot on a precision or jazz bass fully off. Thanks in advance for any help [/quote] So basically you want the switch part of the push/pull to switch in a capacitor which then bleeds as much treble as it is capable of down to earth when activated? I'm sure that is eminently possible and someone cleverer than me will be along shortly with a wiring diagram

Congrats, but I think "cured" is a bold claim